Folding or collapsible box.



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FOLDING OR GOLLAPSIBLE BOX. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 7. 1911 1,071,653, IPatented Aug. 26, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

[N VEN TOR 6%; z Jiar COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON: D. c.

E. H. STOW.

FOLDING OR GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPIQIOATJION FILED JULY 7, 1911.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES. v JNVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANDIJRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT GFFTQE.

ELI HENRY STOW, OF BINGI-IAMTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TOZAIDEE L. STOW, ONE-THIRD TO CLARENCE F. HOTCHKISS, AND ONE-THIRD TOFRANK M.

HAYS, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI HENRY STOW, of Binghainton, in the county ofBroome and State of New York, have'invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding or Collapsible Boxes; and I hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification.

This invention is a novel folding or collapsible box, particularlydesigned for use in packing or wrapping bottles, and enabling a numberof them to be carried conveniently and at the same time protecting themfrom breakage while being transported or shipped.

The box when collapsed occupies little space and a large number of themcan be conveniently packed or nested in a package; but when opened thebox is well braced and easily carried, and may have separatecompartments for each bottle so that they cannot touch each other orbreak by contact or clash, if roughly handled. The bottom of the box isarranged to fold inward beneath the partitions when the box iscollapsed, and the covers of the box may fold inward or outward asdesired, depending upon the height of the partitions in the box.

The box is preferably provided with wire handles or bails which serve asa means for holding the box in extended position, when properly engaged,and also as a convenient means for transporting the box when filled andclosed; they also form an efficient means for sealing or securing thetop of the box when folded. Said handles may also be connected bysuspending devices such as tapes, cords or wires, which extend from thehandle down the sides of the box and underneath the bottom thereof andsupport the bottom and the contents of the box, when the box is openedso that the weight in the box is practically directly suspended from thehandles; and these suspending devices also brace the sides of the box sothey cannot burst outward. Preferably the upper edges of the sidesof'the' box are reinforced with stiffening bands of tin, or othersuitable material, to which the handles may be conveniently fastened andto which the suspending cords or wires above referred to can also beattached. The handles may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 7, 1911.

Patented Aug. 26,1913.

Serial No. 637,380.

locked together by means of a connecting piece preferably of metal,which not only forms a tie between the handles, so as to hold themtogether, but also forms a convenient hand-piece or grip between thebails which will not cut the hand of the party carrying the box.

In the drawings I have illustrated one form of knock-down or folding boxembodying the invention and containing several features above mentionedand I will describe the invention with reference thereto and summarizein the claims the various parts and combinations of parts for which Idesire protection.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of a box embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a top view of such box extended, with the coversand handles thrown back. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of such box. Fig. 4 isa vertical transverse section through the box. Fig. 5 is a longitudinalvertical section through the box. Fig. 6 is a side view of the boxcollapsed, and Fig. 7 is an end view of the box partly collapsed.

The body of the box is formed of a tube or shuck 1, which may be made ofpasteboard, or veneer, or any suitable material, preferably scored atthe corners of the box so it can bend easily; and the body may beexpanded into rectangular form, as indicated in Fig. 1, or collapsedflat upon itself as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. The body shuck 1 may bestiffened, if desired, by a lining 1 of card-board or veneer, on itsside walls; and similar linings 1 on its front and rear walls.Preferably strips 1 of fabric are inserted in the corners of the box, soas to form a hinge connection and brace between the adjacent side, frontand rear walls of the box, at the corners thereof, and enable the box orshuck to be repeatedly collapsed and extended without material injurythereto. The top flaps or covers 2 of the box are also preferably formedof material, or layers of material like that of the body. As shown thecover'2 is composed of opposite flaps connected to the ends of the upperedges of the side walls of the shuck,

the box is extended; or turned outward as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 ofthe drawings when the box is collapsed.

The bottom of the box is composed of op Y posite flaps 3, which may beformed of strips of material similar to the body 1; and are preferablyconnected to the lower edges of the front and rear walls of the body bymeans of hinge pieces of fabric or other suit able material, which willallow the bottom pieces to be folded inwardly against the inner faces ofthe front and rear walls of the body as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 whenthe box is to be collapsed.

The interior of the box may be divided into compartments by means ofintersecting partitions 4-, 4:, which may be of pasteboard or othersuitable like material ar ranged like egg-crate partitions. The ends ofthe partition strip 1 may be secured, by

pasting or otherwise, to the inner walls of the body as indicated at 4*Fig. 2; while the ends of the partition pieces 1 may be similarlyattached to the front and rear walls of the box. The construction issuch that when the shuck is folded the partitions also fold, asindicated in Fig. 7, so that the box when collapsed can lie flat andcompact.

The upper edges of the front and rear walls of the box may be protectedby reinforcing strips 5, which are preferably of metal; to thesereinforcing strips 5 may be connected suspending devices, such as cordsor wires 5 that preferably extend from one strip down beneath the bottomof the box and up to the other strip. As shown, these wires 5 may passthrough apertures 1 in the lower edges of the front and rear walls ofthe box, which apertures may be protected by eyelets if desired. Thesewires 5 support the bottom members 3 of the box when the box is extendedas indicated in the drawings.

To the upper ends of the front and rear walls of the box are attachedbails or handle pieces 6, preferably formed of wire bent into U-shapeand having their ends connected to the reinforcing members 5. As shownthe ends of the bails 6 are engaged with eyes 5" on the upper edges ofthe reinforcing metal pieces 5. The bails 6 may be turned down againstthe outer face of the front and rear walls of the box, when the box isbeing filled or emptied so they will not obstruct the opening or closingof the cover flaps, 2. WVhen the box is extended and the cover flapsclosed, the bails are turned inward toward each other over the flaps 2as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4.

To one of the bails 6, is attached a connecting piece 7 which may be ametal plate hingedly attached to one of the bails by beading its edgeover the adjacent portion of such bail as shown. The other edge of thebail bent over, as indicated, to form hooks, with which the oppositebail 6 can be easily engaged, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 1-. When soengaged the two bails are connected by the plate 7 and will, hold thecover flaps 2 closed, and also draw the front and rear walls of the boxtoward each other. The plate 7 forms a convenient hand piece by whichthe box can be lifted; and when so lifted the weight on the bottom ofthe box is distributed directly through the wires or cords 5 to theplate 7 and the strain taken off of the walls of the box.

Thus a very convenient strong and durable collapsible box or carrier isprovided and considerable weight can be carried in the box withoutdanger of breaking down. The plate 7 may be notched as at 7 if desired,to facilitate the engagement or disengagement of the free bailtherefrom; as by pressing the portion of the free bail exposed at thisnotch as indicated in Fig. 1, such bail can be readily disengaged fromthe hooks 7 When the box is to be knocked down the bails are disengagedand turned over against the outer faces of the front and rear walls ofthe box: the cover flaps 2 are then opened and turned down against theouter faces of the side walls of the box; the bot-- tom members 3 arethen turned upward against the inner faces of the front and rear wallsof the box, below the partitions 1, 1, see Figs. 1 and 7 and then thebox can be collapsed as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. W hen so collapsed anumber of these boxes can be packed in small space. When it is desiredto use the box, the body is first extended into rectangular form, thenthe bottom flaps are drawn down, as indicated in F 2 to 5. To facilitatethe drawing down of the bottom flaps 3, they may be provided withnotches 3 at their central portions, which notches form an openingthrough which the finger of the operator can engage the bottom flaps,see Figs. 2 and 3. The box can then be filled by placing the bottleswithin the compartments; and then the cover flaps 2 are turned over intoposition; then the bails are turned across the cover flaps and connectedby the plate 7 as described, and the package is completely closed andready for transport, and can be readily carried by the hand piece 7. Thepartitions are very useful when the box is used for carrying bottles asthey keep the bottles separate, and they also form transverse andlongitudinal braces or ties between the vertical lines of the box; but Ido not consider the invention restricted to the use of such foldablepartitions.

VVhat I claim is:

1. A collapsible goods holder and carrier comprising a box having sidesflexibly united to one another at the four corners, bottom closing flapsflexibly united to the bottom ends of the sides and adapted to be foldedupwardly inside the box, supporting straps fastened to the upper ends ofopposite sides and passing thence downward to and across the bottom ofthe box, upon which straps the bottom flaps rest when the box is in use,and bails coupled to the straps at the top of the box for handling thecarrier, said box being adapted to be collapsed with opposite sidesfolded against adjacent sides and the straps turned diagonally acrossthe bottom.

2. A collapsible goods holder and carrier comprising a box having sidesflexibly united to one another at the four corners, bottom closing flapsflexibly united to the bottom ends of the sides and adapted to be foldedupwardly inside the box, supporting straps fastened to the upper ends ofopposite sides ancl passing thence downward outside the box to andacross the bottom of the box through openings provided therefor in thesides and bottom flaps, upon which straps the bottom flaps rest when thebox is in use, and bails on the opposite sides coupled to the straps attheir upper ends, said box being adapted to be collapsed.

3. A collapsible goods holder and carrier comprising a box having sidesflexibly united to one another at the four corners, bottom closing flapsflexibly united to the bottom ends of the sides and adapted to be foldedupwardly inside the box, supporting straps fastened to the upper ends ofopposite sides and passing thence downward outside the box to and acrossthe bottom of the box through openings provided therefor in the sidesand bottom flaps, upon which straps the bottom flaps rest when the boxis in use, outwardly opening top closing flaps flexibly united to theupper ends of the sides, and bails on the opposite sides coupled to thestraps at their upper ends, said box being adapted to be collapsed.

4. A collapsible goods holder and carrier comprising a box having sidesflexibly united to one another at the four corners, bottom closing flapsflexibly united to the bottom ends of the sides and adapted to be foldedupwardly inside the box, supporting straps fastened to the upper ends ofopposite sides and passing thence downward out side the box to andacross the bottom of the box through openings provided therefor in thesides and bottom flaps, upon which straps the bottom flaps rest when thebox is in use, outwardly opening top closing flaps flexibly united tothe upper ends of the sides, bails on the opposite sides coupled to thestraps at their upper ends, and means for fastening said bails togetheracross the top flaps when the box is closed, the box when empty and openbeing adapted to be collapsed.

5. A collapsible goods holder and carrier comprising a box having sidesflexibly united to one another at the four corners, bottom closing flapsflexibly united to the bottom ends of the sides and adapted to be foldedupwardly inside the box, crossed compartment forming strips flexiblyunited to the sides of the box above the bottom flaps when in foldedposition, supporting straps fastened to the upper ends of opposite sidesand passing thence downward to and across the bottom of the box, uponwhich straps the bottom flaps rest when the box is in use, outwardlyopening top closing flaps flexibly united to the upper ends of thesides, and bails on the opposite sides coupled to the straps at theirupper ends, the box when the bottom and top flaps are turned upwardbeing adapted to be collapsed with opposite sides folded againstadjacent sides and the straps at the bot-tom and the transversecompartment strips turned diagonally across the box.

6. A collapsible holder and carrier comprising a body having sides, themeeting edges whereof are permanently and foldably connected, two of thesides being provided with a flap adapted to be folded outwardly in linewith the side to which it is attached and inwardly to a positionsubstantially at right angles to the sides, two of the said sides havingopenings near their edges, wires or the like extending along the facesof opposite sides and passing through the openings near the endsthereof, and detachable means for connecting the ends of the wires -orthe like.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I afiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ELI HENRY STOW.

Witnesses:

ROBERT B. HoLLnNBEoK, ZAIDEE L. STOW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

